A diagnostic medical sonographer is trained medical personnel who inspect different portions of a patient’s body using the ultrasound technology. Depending on several factors, there exist variations in the diagnostic medical sonographer salary. Thereafter develops images that can be used for medical diagnosis. Ultrasound sonography is not only used during pregnancy, but can also be used when conducting other bodily tests such as the cardiac diagnosis.
Factors determining Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Salary
Not all medical sonographers earn the same salary all over. The differences in their salaries could be brought about by any of these factors. One, experience is a major of source of discrepancy in the diagnostic medical sonographer salary. Secondly, specializations also affect the salary of diagnostic medical sonographers. The other three factors are amount of hour’s worked, geographical dispersion and the type of facility the diagnostic sonographer works in.
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Salary by Experience
If you have just joined the practice with less than a year of experience, the expected diagnostic medical salary should be in range of $35,000 to $47,000 annually. In this range, the numbers of years range from 1-4, with salary increment done progressively. From 5-9, the salary range shifts to between $40,000 and $60,000 per annum. Beyond this, the experience of the sonographer is considered high and from 10-19 years of experience, the expected diagnostic medical sonographer salary should be between $50,000 and $70,000 per year. For those with over 20 years’ experience, they can take home anything between $60,000 to the excesses of $85,000 per annum.
Diagnostic medical sonographer salary by hours worked
Typically, a medical sonographer earns $19.55-$35.95 per hour during the normal working hours. The differences could be as a result of the state he is in, or the city where s/he works. When it comes to computing the overtime hourly rates, the expected wage per hour is in the range of $29.00-$56.34. Then, there is the on-call pay that’s also calculated on an hourly basis. The standard on-call rate per hour is $3.00, while the call-in hourly rate is $42.
As far as facility is concerned, the sonographer can work in an outpatient care center, a hospital, laboratory, or in the universities. Normally, those who work in the universities and care centers have a better pay package than their counterparts who work in other types of medical facilities. Those working in management positions have the highest diagnostic medical sonographer salary, while those working in the home care and labs earn the least; as well as those who work in emergency centres.